March 24, 2010
Greetings! It has been what seems like forever. There has been a lot going on down here in my little village. We started to get rain somewhere around the 3rd and then it finally ended around the 14th. The river that separates my village and Kabby’s (Alison’s new nickname) village had raised about 15 feet. We got I would guess about 6 feet of rain in the 10 days. During this time we had a few visitors from stateside come. First, it was Teresa. She works with the women of my village to help get them out of poverty. She is an amazing woman. The project is called Blessing Basket Project and she buys baskets that the women of my village make. She then sells them mostly at a Whole Foods store. Please check it out. Support it. The baskets are beautiful and all made by hand. I have taken on the role of being Teresa’s eyes and ears here in my village and reporting back to her of any problems or successes. I’m proud to be a part of this group. Right about the same time we had some students from Washington University in Missouri come. They were a group of 8 students and 3 faculty. HI GUYS! They were a great treat. They did some research on the headlamps that the basket weavers were using, not for long but hopefully they got some information out of it. They also went into the school and taught the students how to make a water purifier. It was good to see and interact with some Americans but it was also hard after they left. Which I was fully expecting. But I hope to see some of them again next year as this is a yearly visit. With all this rain comes the damp, moldiness that has taken over my house. There hasn’t been a day where I have been home to open my windows and let it dry out or at least air out because I’ve been either working all day or it has begun raining again. Last night I almost pissed my pants I was so scared of the thunderstorm that I was certain was taking place right above my roof. Speaking of my roof, yes it still leaks. Everywhere. I have finally gotten a bedframe so I am off the floor but now there are two leaks that touch my bed at night. Not pleasant. Yesterday I was on a mission to find people with headlamps to see if they were working properly or being used. I discovered a whole new part of my village that I didn’t know existed. I was so amazed by it that I was out well past dark, with a pack of children following me and lighting the way. Ha.
There is this food here called breadfruit. We don’t have it in the states but it’s here and I like it. It tastes like a baked potato when cooked and I just looooooooooooooove it. However, after eating it, you get a bit gassy. Not Malagasy gasy but gassy. The kids are constantly farting and last night I was talking with this older woman when all of a sudden some kid let a huge one rip. We all laugh. It’s quite entertaining.
On another note, Alison is now called Kabby. This is because her worst nightmare came true a couple weeks ago and she slipped and fell in her kabone (outhouse). I can’t stop laughing about it and use it whenever I am feeling down. We have went out clubbing a couple times and man I’ve never been clubbing in the states but it is a riot here. Lots of guys and girls dancing to older pop music. And lots of Bob Marley. Tiako i Bob Marley (I like bob Marley). They have slow dancing music on and it is hilarious when some older man grabs me to slow dance. Oh I get a chuckle out of it.
I have taught many of the children in my village to say, what’s up homeslice. It’s very comical to be anywhere in my village and hear, what’s up homeslice.
Anyhoo…that’s about all for now. I hope all is well back home. Got two letters. One each at a different address so they work. Please keep sending letters. Love and miss you all!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
travel down the road and back again....
February 26, 2010-02-26
Ahhhhhhh. Today. What a day. Let me start off with a quote ( this quote is from my language teacher, while we were in a restaurant while being installed):
Matsubara: Make a list of ugly movie stars.
Me: You.
Matsubara: I’m not a movie star, I’m just a star.
This makes me laugh everytime I think of it, which is often. Let me tell you about an average day of mine. I am awoken at around 5am by either the cock-a-doodle-do of the roosters or the moving around of the people that live around me. I finally crawl out of bed around 6:30 or 7 on a lucky day, make some coffee and make myself a banana shake (which I have Sarah Provost to thank for that, Guinea neighbor). I head to work, by bike, at the CSB (hospital) which is about 2 km (1.5 miles about) away if it’s not raining otherwise I wait until I think the rain with subside for the ten minutes that it takes me to ride my bike to the CSB. Then I start my day at the CSB giving a speech on some subject, whether it be diarrhea, vaccines for young infants, safe motherhood (for women while they’re pregnant), malaria, or family planning. Then I bike back the 2km for lunch and bike back to the CSB for another half a day. The people usually come during the morning at least at this time of the year, or so I’ve heard. I then am done around 4 or 5 and head home to either fetch my water, which is a good 400 feet away from my house down two big hills and then I have to carry the 20lbs bucket back up that 400ft of hills to make it to my home where I am tired as shit becuz it’s a battle to come back up that hill, I have to psych myself up before heading up it everytime..telling myself, I can do it…it’s only 50 more feet until the top of the hill, or if not that I hang out and play cards, rumy is what they call it but it’s nothing close to the rumy I know from home. Then around 6ish I return to my house to cook dinner. This usually consists of potatoes and carrots or beans and onions or something of that sort. I always want to stay out of my house after dark but know that once I return to my house I have to cook and dump all my compost into my compost pile which is outside my house of course. And yes, I am scared to go outside my house at night. My doors and windows are usually closed by 7pm, which is usually when it’s dark. I love when I come home late and have to cook and after I do dishes and dump the water outside my window, I am awestruck by the number of lightning bugs that are in the small forest of trees behind my house. Which is funny becuz while being installed there was a lightning bug in our room (me and Alison, closest neighbor, only neighbor) and she was like what is that! And I was like…that’s a lightning bug silly. Being from California she had never seen one before and was grateful to be with someone who had. Anyhoo I’m usually in bed by 7pm reading and trying to fall asleep with the unfamiliar yet familiar sounds.
I have roasted my own peanuts, roasted my own coffee beans and pounded them into the delicious coffee that I enjoy every morning. I am starting to think in Malagasy. When I want to say something to myself it is usually in broken English/Malagasy. There have been times when I’ve hit my head on my door frame and cursed myself becuz the door was made for someone of size from this country….about a foot shorter than me. My bathroom is about 10 m from my house and yes I’ll admit I am scared of it. I go in, do my business as quick as possible and try to get out of there faster than I really should. There really isn’t anything scary about it except a leak in the roof, which it was pouring today and I really had to go and yep there I was going while rain was dripping on me the whole time. I’m starting to get used to it….slowly.
My house has been inhabited by ants. I don’t know where they’re coming from or where they’re going but they are there. And they’re pissing me off. I’ve stomped on them I brush them away I do everything I can think of but they are still there. Whatev…I guess I can deal with it. Things could be worse…right? One day when I went to a city to gather vegetables becuz there’s aren’t very many in our town, I was greeted upon return by a group of my villagers in an epicerie(small shop) having a dance party and calling me in. Of course I went in. We danced for awhile until I told them I was tired and had to go home. It was great. Fun times. Yep. This has been one of the things that has really made my village feel like it’s my home. It’s hard to not see my family and friends everyday but know these people appreciate me being here everyday and know I’m trying real hard to learn their language and fit in with them even though I’ll never be invincible. The language is coming along really well. I understand about half what is spoken to me and can express much of what I want. It is really starting to feel like I’m making a home here. Which is an overwhelming experience.
In about a week and a half there are some Americans coming from a University in Missouri to work with the NGO (Missouri Botanical Garndens, MBG) that I’m working with. They’ll be here for about 2-3 weeks studying in the forests and teaching in the schools I think. I’m excited to have contact with Americans becuz I miss you all. Me and my neighbor PCV Alison, helped MBG plant trees last Saturday and it was a great experience. I planted each one with love. I swear. The guy in charge at MBG, Reza, has two dogs. Yep a boy and girl and I hope that within a year they will have puppies that I will take one into my care. Ironically enuf the girl’s name is Milo…not pronounced how you think it is but like …MEELOOO….which if you know me like Nee does….i’ve always wanted my first dog to be named Milo after Milo and Oatis and now here we have it. So I hope to have one of their pups after at least a year. I have some traveling to do before I even consider getting a dog.
Every Saturday in my village there is a neighbor girl, Fiena, who braids my hair. I’ve been at site now for almost a month and have actually washed my hair about 3 times. Becuz she does a wonderful job where it keeps in the braids and doesn’t feel like I have to wash it more than that and she loves it along with the rest of my village. But everyday when I do take a shower, or I should say a bucket bath, I have psych myself up to pour the freezing cold water on me. I try to take a bucket bath after I’ve fetched water becuz I’m usually tired and hot and sweaty after that. And it isn’t too bad to take a cold shower after that. My nights consist of breadfruit, unknown to the American eye but a fruit about the size of a coconut that fall upon my roof at random times during the night and scare the shit outta me and once I had a mouse inside my mosquito net (which I sleep under religiously) jumping on my back trying to get out and once I got it out proceeded to eat my food, yeah I didn’t sleep much that night.
There is a group of women here who make baskets which are beautiful and I hope to someday set it up where you can buy them from here. They are beautiful and handcrafted and inexpensive, just have to work it out of how I’d get it mailed to the US and whatnot. But yeah I’ll try to post pictures of them and whatnot. But me and Alison have made killer burritos. Refried beans, guacamole, and cheese, oh man were they good. I’m gonna get great at making those tortillas I’m telling you.
Anyhoo…sorry so long…and prolly befuddling….but I miss you all so much. Please keep writing. It means so much. The day I receive and the many many days after I receive each letter is a touch of heaven. I love you all. LOVE YOU! Hi Grandma Albert and Grandma Dever!
Melissa
Ahhhhhhh. Today. What a day. Let me start off with a quote ( this quote is from my language teacher, while we were in a restaurant while being installed):
Matsubara: Make a list of ugly movie stars.
Me: You.
Matsubara: I’m not a movie star, I’m just a star.
This makes me laugh everytime I think of it, which is often. Let me tell you about an average day of mine. I am awoken at around 5am by either the cock-a-doodle-do of the roosters or the moving around of the people that live around me. I finally crawl out of bed around 6:30 or 7 on a lucky day, make some coffee and make myself a banana shake (which I have Sarah Provost to thank for that, Guinea neighbor). I head to work, by bike, at the CSB (hospital) which is about 2 km (1.5 miles about) away if it’s not raining otherwise I wait until I think the rain with subside for the ten minutes that it takes me to ride my bike to the CSB. Then I start my day at the CSB giving a speech on some subject, whether it be diarrhea, vaccines for young infants, safe motherhood (for women while they’re pregnant), malaria, or family planning. Then I bike back the 2km for lunch and bike back to the CSB for another half a day. The people usually come during the morning at least at this time of the year, or so I’ve heard. I then am done around 4 or 5 and head home to either fetch my water, which is a good 400 feet away from my house down two big hills and then I have to carry the 20lbs bucket back up that 400ft of hills to make it to my home where I am tired as shit becuz it’s a battle to come back up that hill, I have to psych myself up before heading up it everytime..telling myself, I can do it…it’s only 50 more feet until the top of the hill, or if not that I hang out and play cards, rumy is what they call it but it’s nothing close to the rumy I know from home. Then around 6ish I return to my house to cook dinner. This usually consists of potatoes and carrots or beans and onions or something of that sort. I always want to stay out of my house after dark but know that once I return to my house I have to cook and dump all my compost into my compost pile which is outside my house of course. And yes, I am scared to go outside my house at night. My doors and windows are usually closed by 7pm, which is usually when it’s dark. I love when I come home late and have to cook and after I do dishes and dump the water outside my window, I am awestruck by the number of lightning bugs that are in the small forest of trees behind my house. Which is funny becuz while being installed there was a lightning bug in our room (me and Alison, closest neighbor, only neighbor) and she was like what is that! And I was like…that’s a lightning bug silly. Being from California she had never seen one before and was grateful to be with someone who had. Anyhoo I’m usually in bed by 7pm reading and trying to fall asleep with the unfamiliar yet familiar sounds.
I have roasted my own peanuts, roasted my own coffee beans and pounded them into the delicious coffee that I enjoy every morning. I am starting to think in Malagasy. When I want to say something to myself it is usually in broken English/Malagasy. There have been times when I’ve hit my head on my door frame and cursed myself becuz the door was made for someone of size from this country….about a foot shorter than me. My bathroom is about 10 m from my house and yes I’ll admit I am scared of it. I go in, do my business as quick as possible and try to get out of there faster than I really should. There really isn’t anything scary about it except a leak in the roof, which it was pouring today and I really had to go and yep there I was going while rain was dripping on me the whole time. I’m starting to get used to it….slowly.
My house has been inhabited by ants. I don’t know where they’re coming from or where they’re going but they are there. And they’re pissing me off. I’ve stomped on them I brush them away I do everything I can think of but they are still there. Whatev…I guess I can deal with it. Things could be worse…right? One day when I went to a city to gather vegetables becuz there’s aren’t very many in our town, I was greeted upon return by a group of my villagers in an epicerie(small shop) having a dance party and calling me in. Of course I went in. We danced for awhile until I told them I was tired and had to go home. It was great. Fun times. Yep. This has been one of the things that has really made my village feel like it’s my home. It’s hard to not see my family and friends everyday but know these people appreciate me being here everyday and know I’m trying real hard to learn their language and fit in with them even though I’ll never be invincible. The language is coming along really well. I understand about half what is spoken to me and can express much of what I want. It is really starting to feel like I’m making a home here. Which is an overwhelming experience.
In about a week and a half there are some Americans coming from a University in Missouri to work with the NGO (Missouri Botanical Garndens, MBG) that I’m working with. They’ll be here for about 2-3 weeks studying in the forests and teaching in the schools I think. I’m excited to have contact with Americans becuz I miss you all. Me and my neighbor PCV Alison, helped MBG plant trees last Saturday and it was a great experience. I planted each one with love. I swear. The guy in charge at MBG, Reza, has two dogs. Yep a boy and girl and I hope that within a year they will have puppies that I will take one into my care. Ironically enuf the girl’s name is Milo…not pronounced how you think it is but like …MEELOOO….which if you know me like Nee does….i’ve always wanted my first dog to be named Milo after Milo and Oatis and now here we have it. So I hope to have one of their pups after at least a year. I have some traveling to do before I even consider getting a dog.
Every Saturday in my village there is a neighbor girl, Fiena, who braids my hair. I’ve been at site now for almost a month and have actually washed my hair about 3 times. Becuz she does a wonderful job where it keeps in the braids and doesn’t feel like I have to wash it more than that and she loves it along with the rest of my village. But everyday when I do take a shower, or I should say a bucket bath, I have psych myself up to pour the freezing cold water on me. I try to take a bucket bath after I’ve fetched water becuz I’m usually tired and hot and sweaty after that. And it isn’t too bad to take a cold shower after that. My nights consist of breadfruit, unknown to the American eye but a fruit about the size of a coconut that fall upon my roof at random times during the night and scare the shit outta me and once I had a mouse inside my mosquito net (which I sleep under religiously) jumping on my back trying to get out and once I got it out proceeded to eat my food, yeah I didn’t sleep much that night.
There is a group of women here who make baskets which are beautiful and I hope to someday set it up where you can buy them from here. They are beautiful and handcrafted and inexpensive, just have to work it out of how I’d get it mailed to the US and whatnot. But yeah I’ll try to post pictures of them and whatnot. But me and Alison have made killer burritos. Refried beans, guacamole, and cheese, oh man were they good. I’m gonna get great at making those tortillas I’m telling you.
Anyhoo…sorry so long…and prolly befuddling….but I miss you all so much. Please keep writing. It means so much. The day I receive and the many many days after I receive each letter is a touch of heaven. I love you all. LOVE YOU! Hi Grandma Albert and Grandma Dever!
Melissa
Monday, February 1, 2010
pics!
The first picture is of my teacher, matsubara, and my classroom, the porch outside my room (all in my host family) Next, my mom and sister and I went for a hike and this is what i stumbled upon. Miraso, the neighbor little girl, cute as a button. Then a picture of my host family's house. And finally, me with the Nigeriens, Tondi (our training manager in Niger and Souley, my health director in Niger) They both got to fly with us to Madagascar for two weeks. This was our good byes.
on the road.
February 1, 2010
So we dropped off ashley, mike and matt the other day. Me and Alison had been just chillin, swimming in the Indian Ocean and shopping for nothing in particular. We took off for another city close to our sites to meet the authorities at the district level. Made the guy laugh when he asked me why i wasn't married. Because. Was all I said. The drive down to the other three's sites was just amazing. I mean our training site was amazing but this drive, i was fighting myself to stay awake just so i could see it. Beautiful. Today was our first day of our installation. I bought a mattress, gas, gas stove, 2 chairs, some solar charger stuff (yay!), another phone, and a shelf. I still have to buy all the little stuff but that will come with tomorrow. I got another phone and a new number i'll post on here. I don't have much time to write and this could be the last time for awhile. Pictures didn't work last time but we'll see this time.please write me. if you do, i'll have your address so then i'll send you a postcard and prolly a couple more letters. it means a lot. life is good. it's pretty humid where we are now. I'm hoping it won't be this humid where i'm going. I miss and love you all.
New number is 011261331314655
i could be getting another number cuz it's cheaper to call the states. using this company it is ridiculously expensive to call home. also note on letters and packages...you can still send them to the antananarivo address and they'll just be forwarded to my site. i don't know my address yet so i can't post it...luv you.
So we dropped off ashley, mike and matt the other day. Me and Alison had been just chillin, swimming in the Indian Ocean and shopping for nothing in particular. We took off for another city close to our sites to meet the authorities at the district level. Made the guy laugh when he asked me why i wasn't married. Because. Was all I said. The drive down to the other three's sites was just amazing. I mean our training site was amazing but this drive, i was fighting myself to stay awake just so i could see it. Beautiful. Today was our first day of our installation. I bought a mattress, gas, gas stove, 2 chairs, some solar charger stuff (yay!), another phone, and a shelf. I still have to buy all the little stuff but that will come with tomorrow. I got another phone and a new number i'll post on here. I don't have much time to write and this could be the last time for awhile. Pictures didn't work last time but we'll see this time.please write me. if you do, i'll have your address so then i'll send you a postcard and prolly a couple more letters. it means a lot. life is good. it's pretty humid where we are now. I'm hoping it won't be this humid where i'm going. I miss and love you all.
New number is 011261331314655
i could be getting another number cuz it's cheaper to call the states. using this company it is ridiculously expensive to call home. also note on letters and packages...you can still send them to the antananarivo address and they'll just be forwarded to my site. i don't know my address yet so i can't post it...luv you.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Finally a Volunteer!
Jan 26, 2010
So we swore in today! I'm finally a volunteer. We head out to site tomorrow morning. I won't be actually in my site until Feb 4 because we have to drop off 3 other volunteers before we head to my site. We have to do banking, open some accounts, and shopping for our houses. I have been told that the closest place for internet to my site is about 6 hours away. So I prolly won't be using the internet much. I'm gonna try to upload some pics on here. We'll see how that goes. I love and miss you all dearly. Keep writing!
mel
Jan 24, 2010
Akory aby sa! This is hello in my dialect language of Antesaka. We have finally made it. I gave my final presentation in Malagasy to all our health host families. Part of the requirements of it was to have them ask questions at the end of the presentation and being able to answer it pretty much on the fly. Mine turned out to be ok. It wasn’t that bad. Then we had our language test on Friday. I was really nervous. For me, I have been learning a dialect but my host family didn’t speak the dialect so to be able to practice it, hasn’t really happened but it was a mixture of my dialect and Standard Malagasy, which isn’t too different but there are some differences. But the ultimate test will be once I get to site. Which speaking of that, we will be swearing in on Tuesday. We’re staying in the capital Monday and Tuesday and then heading out on Wednesday. My closest neighbor is Alison, she is anywhere from 1km-15km. Which is pretty close but I think it will be great. Speaking of swearing in, I did pass my language test and will be able to, finally, officially start my two-year service. While in the host family village, I put together a small demonstration for all the kids in my neighborhood on hand-washing. It was a great success. There is a song to sing with it as you’re washing your hands and all the kids would sing it whenever they saw me. Aaron brought his kids over and we did it for them too. I was very surprised with myself because I didn’t have to look at notes or anything. I was able to give it in Malagasy. After that, we, Health trainees, made a cook stove for the village, demonstrating how to make it and built it at the SEECALINE office where a lady does nutrition demonstrations for mothers and their children. That, too was a great success. Another strange, small world is that while I was in Guinea, right before I was medically separated we had gotten a new Country Director. His name was Dan. He was literally my CD for not even a week when I found out I was leaving but he was great and helped me as much as he possibly could. To get to the point of my story, with Guinea being evacuated last October and Madagascar not having a CD, they recruited Dan, yep the same Dan, to come and be acting CD for 6 weeks here. It was great to see him. It’s just been so weird how many times I’ve ran into something to do with Guinea either in Niger or here in Madagascar. It will take me a handful of days to get installed (moved into my village, introduced to the authorities, getting my banking set up, all that good jazz). It’s been pretty quiet on the state-side. Yep that’s all of you. But whatev, I know what it’s like. It’s really good to hear from you about everything and anything. After three months and two countries, we have finally made it. It’s amazing how close we’ve all become. We have been strong since the beginning. I do believe we are one of the first if not the first stage here in Madagascar that has made it through the whole training without having someone ET (early terminate). Alena, a part of our stage in Niger who couldn’t come to Madagascar, is starting training in South Africa at the end of January. I’m really glad that she got in so quickly. But yeah that’s about it for now. Love you all.
Jan. 6, 2010
Hey there yay! I’m gonna make this short because I don’t have much time. I have moved in with my host family and they are great. I wish I could upload some pics but the internet is being used by 35 other computers right now so it’ll be amazing if I even get this posted. I live with a mom, dad and 5 kids between the ages of 10-20. I’m giving my first presentation tomorrow in Malagasy. I’m a little nervous but it will be great experience. The weather has been rainy at night. But otherwise it’s been pleasant. My address will be changing once I get to post which will be early February. I’m not sure how it’ll work but there will be a place to mail me in my village or nearby. I’m located on the southeast, 5 miles from the Indian ocean. I’m excited and can’t wait to see it and everyone. Sorry so short but I’ve got to go. Hopefully I’ll be able to load pictures before I go to post. I love you all and miss you bunches.
Dec. 24, 2009
Hello everyone! I am reporting to you from Madagascar. It is just about as opposite as one could get from Niger. It’s rainy, cold, humid, green, and beautiful rather than hot, dry, and sandy. We are at the end of week two. We are all staying at a resort type facility for another week and then we move in with host families. Let me describe the training site a little. Our dining hall is right on a lake where we have witnessed many beautiful sunsets. There are a couple canoes that we have access to. We have bikes so we can go biking and see the beautiful scenery along with some amazing hiking. It is just breathtaking here. We are staying in a dorm type room with one to two roommates. I am housing with Devyn and Ryan but staying with Jackson and Aaron. A typical day consists of me getting up at 6am, taking a nice power walk for about 45 minutes, rinse off, have breakfast at 7am, class 8-10 language or technical, snack/coffee break 10-10:30, class 10:30-12, lunch, class 1:30-3, break, class 3:5-4:15, free time until 6 when we eat dinner and then study, read, write, play games, really anything until bedtime which is generally around 9pm for me. I feel like we have been spoiled. We have wonderful food. Rice is still served at every meal. Breakfast we’ve had anything from French toast, pancakes, hashbrowns, eggs, bread, and some sort of meat just about everyday; lunch is a lot of cooked veggies and meat; and supper is usually mac n cheese or some dish with veggies and salad along with mangoes or plums for dessert. It all has been amazing. The language is coming along. We just got site announcements this week. I will be along the southeast coast. Yep, I should be biking distance from the Indian ocean! My closest and really only neighbor volunteer is Alison. We started our dialect on Tuesday and it is very similar to the standard Malagasy language that they speak all over the country. Apparently, it’s louder, rougher and lazier than the standard Malagasy. I think it will coming along just fine. I don’t know a whole lot about my site because it was recently redeveloped but should have more information on it soon. I do know that there are many secondary projects working with the environment, which is exactly what I wanted and I never told them that. They really are great at what they do, especially placements. There is an American NGO that works with Botanical Gardens which I am super excited about. We had class Christmas morning but the afternoon off where we had a feast! Ice cream included!!!! Some other volunteers that will be somewhat in my area are Stephanie, Tatum, Mike, and Matt. Being as far south as I am will give me the opportunity to visit more volunteers, I feel, when I’m planning a trip into the capital, Tana. We are not allowed to travel at night because of safety so it’s an excuse to stop on by someone’s site. We are all getting anxious to be getting out to site but know the training is crucial. I got a new cell phone, which hopefully I remember to change on here, but will more than likely be getting a new one once I’m at post. I will also be getting a new address. I do believe I’ll still be able to get letters and things that are sent to Tana (Antanarivo) but it may take a little longer once I’m at site. This way I could possibly have it delivered to my town. I’ll get it up on here as soon as I find it out. Anyhoo, I hope all is well. Thank you for those that have written or called. I can’t stress enough how much it means. I miss you all like crazy and hope some of you are thinking of visiting because I’m already thinking of places I want to go and things I want to do with many of you. Don’t be afraid to call or write! Pictures from home, newspaper/magazine articles, really anything is great. Hope the holidays are treating you all great. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Love always, Mel.
011261341890628 Here's my number but it will prolly be changing in a week or so.
So we swore in today! I'm finally a volunteer. We head out to site tomorrow morning. I won't be actually in my site until Feb 4 because we have to drop off 3 other volunteers before we head to my site. We have to do banking, open some accounts, and shopping for our houses. I have been told that the closest place for internet to my site is about 6 hours away. So I prolly won't be using the internet much. I'm gonna try to upload some pics on here. We'll see how that goes. I love and miss you all dearly. Keep writing!
mel
Jan 24, 2010
Akory aby sa! This is hello in my dialect language of Antesaka. We have finally made it. I gave my final presentation in Malagasy to all our health host families. Part of the requirements of it was to have them ask questions at the end of the presentation and being able to answer it pretty much on the fly. Mine turned out to be ok. It wasn’t that bad. Then we had our language test on Friday. I was really nervous. For me, I have been learning a dialect but my host family didn’t speak the dialect so to be able to practice it, hasn’t really happened but it was a mixture of my dialect and Standard Malagasy, which isn’t too different but there are some differences. But the ultimate test will be once I get to site. Which speaking of that, we will be swearing in on Tuesday. We’re staying in the capital Monday and Tuesday and then heading out on Wednesday. My closest neighbor is Alison, she is anywhere from 1km-15km. Which is pretty close but I think it will be great. Speaking of swearing in, I did pass my language test and will be able to, finally, officially start my two-year service. While in the host family village, I put together a small demonstration for all the kids in my neighborhood on hand-washing. It was a great success. There is a song to sing with it as you’re washing your hands and all the kids would sing it whenever they saw me. Aaron brought his kids over and we did it for them too. I was very surprised with myself because I didn’t have to look at notes or anything. I was able to give it in Malagasy. After that, we, Health trainees, made a cook stove for the village, demonstrating how to make it and built it at the SEECALINE office where a lady does nutrition demonstrations for mothers and their children. That, too was a great success. Another strange, small world is that while I was in Guinea, right before I was medically separated we had gotten a new Country Director. His name was Dan. He was literally my CD for not even a week when I found out I was leaving but he was great and helped me as much as he possibly could. To get to the point of my story, with Guinea being evacuated last October and Madagascar not having a CD, they recruited Dan, yep the same Dan, to come and be acting CD for 6 weeks here. It was great to see him. It’s just been so weird how many times I’ve ran into something to do with Guinea either in Niger or here in Madagascar. It will take me a handful of days to get installed (moved into my village, introduced to the authorities, getting my banking set up, all that good jazz). It’s been pretty quiet on the state-side. Yep that’s all of you. But whatev, I know what it’s like. It’s really good to hear from you about everything and anything. After three months and two countries, we have finally made it. It’s amazing how close we’ve all become. We have been strong since the beginning. I do believe we are one of the first if not the first stage here in Madagascar that has made it through the whole training without having someone ET (early terminate). Alena, a part of our stage in Niger who couldn’t come to Madagascar, is starting training in South Africa at the end of January. I’m really glad that she got in so quickly. But yeah that’s about it for now. Love you all.
Jan. 6, 2010
Hey there yay! I’m gonna make this short because I don’t have much time. I have moved in with my host family and they are great. I wish I could upload some pics but the internet is being used by 35 other computers right now so it’ll be amazing if I even get this posted. I live with a mom, dad and 5 kids between the ages of 10-20. I’m giving my first presentation tomorrow in Malagasy. I’m a little nervous but it will be great experience. The weather has been rainy at night. But otherwise it’s been pleasant. My address will be changing once I get to post which will be early February. I’m not sure how it’ll work but there will be a place to mail me in my village or nearby. I’m located on the southeast, 5 miles from the Indian ocean. I’m excited and can’t wait to see it and everyone. Sorry so short but I’ve got to go. Hopefully I’ll be able to load pictures before I go to post. I love you all and miss you bunches.
Dec. 24, 2009
Hello everyone! I am reporting to you from Madagascar. It is just about as opposite as one could get from Niger. It’s rainy, cold, humid, green, and beautiful rather than hot, dry, and sandy. We are at the end of week two. We are all staying at a resort type facility for another week and then we move in with host families. Let me describe the training site a little. Our dining hall is right on a lake where we have witnessed many beautiful sunsets. There are a couple canoes that we have access to. We have bikes so we can go biking and see the beautiful scenery along with some amazing hiking. It is just breathtaking here. We are staying in a dorm type room with one to two roommates. I am housing with Devyn and Ryan but staying with Jackson and Aaron. A typical day consists of me getting up at 6am, taking a nice power walk for about 45 minutes, rinse off, have breakfast at 7am, class 8-10 language or technical, snack/coffee break 10-10:30, class 10:30-12, lunch, class 1:30-3, break, class 3:5-4:15, free time until 6 when we eat dinner and then study, read, write, play games, really anything until bedtime which is generally around 9pm for me. I feel like we have been spoiled. We have wonderful food. Rice is still served at every meal. Breakfast we’ve had anything from French toast, pancakes, hashbrowns, eggs, bread, and some sort of meat just about everyday; lunch is a lot of cooked veggies and meat; and supper is usually mac n cheese or some dish with veggies and salad along with mangoes or plums for dessert. It all has been amazing. The language is coming along. We just got site announcements this week. I will be along the southeast coast. Yep, I should be biking distance from the Indian ocean! My closest and really only neighbor volunteer is Alison. We started our dialect on Tuesday and it is very similar to the standard Malagasy language that they speak all over the country. Apparently, it’s louder, rougher and lazier than the standard Malagasy. I think it will coming along just fine. I don’t know a whole lot about my site because it was recently redeveloped but should have more information on it soon. I do know that there are many secondary projects working with the environment, which is exactly what I wanted and I never told them that. They really are great at what they do, especially placements. There is an American NGO that works with Botanical Gardens which I am super excited about. We had class Christmas morning but the afternoon off where we had a feast! Ice cream included!!!! Some other volunteers that will be somewhat in my area are Stephanie, Tatum, Mike, and Matt. Being as far south as I am will give me the opportunity to visit more volunteers, I feel, when I’m planning a trip into the capital, Tana. We are not allowed to travel at night because of safety so it’s an excuse to stop on by someone’s site. We are all getting anxious to be getting out to site but know the training is crucial. I got a new cell phone, which hopefully I remember to change on here, but will more than likely be getting a new one once I’m at post. I will also be getting a new address. I do believe I’ll still be able to get letters and things that are sent to Tana (Antanarivo) but it may take a little longer once I’m at site. This way I could possibly have it delivered to my town. I’ll get it up on here as soon as I find it out. Anyhoo, I hope all is well. Thank you for those that have written or called. I can’t stress enough how much it means. I miss you all like crazy and hope some of you are thinking of visiting because I’m already thinking of places I want to go and things I want to do with many of you. Don’t be afraid to call or write! Pictures from home, newspaper/magazine articles, really anything is great. Hope the holidays are treating you all great. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Love always, Mel.
011261341890628 Here's my number but it will prolly be changing in a week or so.
Monday, December 7, 2009
MADAGASCAR!!
Well hello from Paris! Yep I'm gonna make a long story short. About three weeks ago maybe, we were put on consolidation. This is where all volunteers and trainees were brought together in their regions. Us trainees were all brought up to the training site where we stayed for a long time. We couldn't leave the fenced in grounds without a staff member with us. There was an attempted kidnapping on US Embassy workers in one of the regions here in Niger. It was unsuccessful but unknown if it was a planned attack. So after the couple weeks of being all together, Mary our country director decided since we hadn't been in country for that long, we weren't able to notice if there was a difference in the atmosphere, whether a normal situation had become unsafe. So she decided to pull us. Lucky we were almost all able to go together to Madagascar where we will begin our training all over again. Unfortunately, one person wasn't able to come with us. Her name was Alena. She is a great person, always positive and will be greatly missed. I am amazed that PC was able to keep us all together and move us all to another country. I had made Niger my home in just the few weeks we were there and I will greatly miss it. We had a great Thanksgiving where the trainees put together a fabulous meal for everyone. We had PLENTY to eat. We also held a fashion show which was just great. We dressed up in Nigerien clothes, thanks to our language teachers, and modeled them off. It was a fun time. We put on an American Olympics for the teachers to participate in, which myself and JaJa put together. We did things like an obstacle course with hopscotch, frog jumps, English tunnel of greetings, and the crab walk. We also had pin the tail on the donkey, tug of war and musical chairs. It was a blast and everyone enjoyed. I am still a Health Volunteer which I'm excited about. I'm definately super excited to be heading to Madagascar, more of a vacation destination. So I hope many of you will consider coming. My new address will be posted on here. I'm gonna load some pictures and then head out to see Paris! I still can't believe this. It's so surreal. Luv you all. Thanks to those that have written and/or called. The first picture is
my language classmates, Ashely and JaJa. The second is of me and my family. Basically who they are are my mama, the daughter-in-law Ramatu, the daughter Rakia, the two grandsons Moumouni and Ousmane and me. The third one is some camels that were just wandering around down by the tabaki, a temporary lake that forms after the rainy season. Here's to the third time training!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
INA WUNI
The title of my blog is Hausa for good afternoon basically! So yeah we're just shy of three weeks in country. It's great. I'm totally loving it here. It's been hot and it's not even in the hot season yet. We are on demyst. That is where we go out into the country to stay with a current volunteer for a few nights. I went to visit a volunteer who is NRM and Zarma....I'm health and Hausa, but it was great. I want to start a garden and work i nthe fields. I feel like i've forgotten how to type, so I'm sorry in advance. A little about my training. We have class Mon-Fri 8-4ish. And Saturdays from 8-12. I sleep outside under the stars, in a mosquito net. I have a roommate, Kelly. We both luv bluegrass so we listen to it every morning while getting ready to go get breakfast...cafe au lait and bread for me...It's great sleeping outside but I tend to wake up at 5am every morning and the MOON (MOM) is so bright it seems like there is a light right above my head. But if it's not that it's either one of the three donkeys that live just on the other side of wall or one of the ten goats that also live there. So it's great. I don't mind it at all. I had an extreme calming feeling come over me as soon as I got off that plane in Niamey. So great to finally be back in Africa. The people are so kind. It is different from GUinea but you know that was to be expected. Speaking of Guinea, they did get evacuated and one of the volunteers transferred here to Niger...he has actually been to my village becuz he was only 35km away from my village. So that was nice to hear about what everyone was doing and whatnot. Anyhoo I've got to get back to the hostel....I'm starving. I luv you all....keep sending me stuff...it's so great...anything..everything..luv you all!! and miss ya a bunch.
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